Grantee Research Project Results

2013 Progress Report: New Methods for Analysis of Cumulative Risk in Urban Populations

EPA Grant Number: R834582
Title: New Methods for Analysis of Cumulative Risk in Urban Populations
Investigators: Scammell, Madeleine Kangsen , Ozonoff, David M.
Institution: Boston University
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2014 (Extended to June 30, 2015)
Project Period Covered by this Report: July 1, 2012 through June 30,2013
Project Amount: $749,226
RFA: Understanding the Role of Nonchemical Stressors and Developing Analytic Methods for Cumulative Risk Assessments (2009) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Human Health

Objective:

We will attempt to use computer-assisted qualitative research methods and structural data analysis to characterize environmental burden on an individual and community level in a small but densely populated, ethnically and economically diverse city. Specific Aims include:

1) Use established qualitative and quantitative research techniques to collect, code and characterize information about chemical exposures of concern, social and economic concerns, behavioral risk factors for disease, self reported health outcomes and perceptions of environment and quality of life from residents abutting an urban designated port area,

2) Use already developed research software implementing Galois lattices (also called Formal Concept Analysis) to examine the hierarchical and structural relationships of quantitative and qualitative data elements,

3) Use the lattice as a technique for cumulative risk assessment by examining the relationships revealed by computation,

4) Share results of analysis with community members and public health officials and make attempts to share the software with public health practitioners and epidemiologists to use as an additional and practical tool for data analysts.

Progress Summary:

In December 2012 Drs. Ozonoff and Scammell worked with Dr. Alex Pogel (New Mexico State University) for three days testing the functionality of the lattice software with the results of 202 interviews. We selected numeric, non-text responses and set out specifications for several new features and a list of fixes for the software. New features to be added included aspects related to the scaling non-binary responses and calculation and display of nested lattices (for example, viewing lattices within all males and females, or other potentially confounding variables for which we would normally stratify). We discussed the functionality of the software from the epidemiologic perspective, using this framework for the new features.

Early explorations of the data for the purpose of testing software functionality revealed surprising patterns related to types of violence and food security. In December we examined an additional data set with the same or similar variables that was kindly provided us by Jane Clougherty (an EPA STAR grantee) of the New York City Health indicators. We compared results obtained by exploratory factor analysis and lattice visualization to determine if similar clustering of variables occurred. These and similar comparisons are ongoing.

In June 2013 we completed the interview data collection process. During this last year we recruited from the four remaining census tracts simultaneously, recruiting a total of 354 residents. This year we also established a collaboration with the Puerto Rican Health Study, an NIH-funded cohort study conducted out of Tufts University. Dr. Scammell met with their team three times to discuss plans for setting a route for mobile monitoring of air pollutants in the City of Chelsea and for the location of a stationary monitor. The route will include all census tracts that are part of the Chelsea STAR study, and the stationary monitor will be located at The Neighborhood Developers, a community development organization in the city with whom the Chelsea Collaborative has worked closely over recent years.

While data analysis is now beginning, the concern among interviewees regarding the safety of parks and drug use in parks raised concern among our interviewees and staff. Dr. Scammell has been representing the Chelsea Collaborative on a Community Leadership Team (CLT) in the City of Chelsea convened to address issues of substance abuse. The subcommittee on which she serves is focused on “hot spots” included parks and “tot lots.” The goal of the CLT is to reduce drug abuse and to create a safer and healthier community in the City of Chelsea.

Future Activities:

The major activities for the next funding period include the following: 1) A BUSPH doctoral student is conducting analysis of environmental and social determinants of physical activity using the Chelsea STAR data set while also looking at park use and perceptions of violence and safety; 2) complete a written report for the community leaders and residents in Chelsea describing the results of our research; 3) prepare a plan for sharing results of our research with key stakeholders in the city (e.g., the Community Leadership Team for reducing substance abuse); 4) meet again with Dr. Alex Pogel to continue improvement of the lattice software and analyses as per specific aim 3.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 17 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

ambient air, water, health effects, human health, sensitive populations, age, race, diet, ethnic groups, toxics, particulates, metals, solvents, public policy, observation, preferences, social science, epidemiology, mathematics, modeling, monitoring, analytical, Northeast, EPA Region 1, transportation, petroleum

Relevant Websites:

www.chelseastar.org Exit

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.